Mistress of Many Colors
by Miayami
Summary: Kagome has never been the type of girl that stood by one man, no matter what anyone has stipulated about her. She was a woman of ambitions, one that knew what she wanted, and above all, since she was stuck in a time where death was always close behind ready to knock on the door, she was a woman who knew, if nothing else, how to survive. And she knows one man that can help her.
1. Rumors

He had heard the rumors – of the human woman-child traveling across the country with his disgrace of a brother. 'Only befitting,' he thinks. 'That a half breed travels with its lesser kind.'

He scowls at the mere thought of him and his rickshaw batch of companions. And yet, the reoccurring throb at the back of his head rears forth at the memory of seeing the woman-child traveling with his brother.

"Why?" he inquires to the empty air.

"Why, what my Lord Sesshoumaru?"

Upon hearing the voice of his servant, Sesshoumaru slightly turns in the general direction. His hair shifts in soft ripples over his shoulder down his back.

"Did you need something Jaken?"

Cool and monotonous – that is the standard of his tone.

"Ah no, I mean yes." The toad-like demons stammers as he meddles with the staff which towers almost two feet above him. The throbbing continues and grows stronger as the imagery of the woman-child presses itself to the forefront of his mind. Unconsciously, he begins to rub his brow, while closing his eyes.

"My lord, is there something the matter?"

The toad was genuinely concerned for his master, yet it made no difference to Sesshoumaru. He was still in his presence yammering away and the thing he increasingly desire was a human, a lesser species. She could not improve his status nor could she produce him a legitimate heir. He scoffs. The most she could ever be to him was a slave that relinquish his desires whenever they arose.

"Interesting," he mutters at the dawning realization.

"What is my lord?"

He slants his eyes as he peers at Jaken.

"Prepare to leave Jaken; we must pay a visit to my brother."

A few miles from the main village where the well resides in the woods, Kagome sits pondering over her current situation. Having to collect shards in hopes of returning home was becoming a pain. She couldn't deny that she had met some amazing people. But no matter how amazing these people were, they couldn't beat the comforts of her era and her home.

"I never should have said I wanted to come to this here." She sighs exasperatedly as she leans up against the well and rests her head. It had been two weeks and it still wouldn't let her return home. To make matters worse, her past self, Kikiyo was constantly luring Inuyasha and inconsequently trying to kill her.

"What a bitch," she mutters.

"What's a bitch?"

She raises her head as Shippo hops to her. Smiling warmly, she opens her arm for him. Seeing the invitation, he practically nose dives into her, snuggling into her arms and bosom. He was the only thing that gave her comfort next to Sango.

"You didn't answer my question." He peeks up at her.

"It's something you don't need to know." She looks down at him.

She watches as he mentally debates with himself, until she feels someone watching them. Rising to a sitting position, she peers at her surroundings. She didn't know what it was, but she knew it was powerful. Bundling Shippo into her arms, she rises to her feet and begins to quickly walk back towards the village.

"Kagome, what's wrong?" Shippo asks from his nestle position.

"Do you sense anything?"

She glances left and right as she power walks back to the village only to catch a glimpse of white in the woods. Her heart begins to slam into her ears as she ups her step to a jog. At this point, Shippo manages to wiggle out of her grasp to a half standing – half sitting position on the top of her forearms. Her mouth moves to shout at him until she notices his ears turning in every direction.

"It's powerful, but I don't feel like it wants to harm us."

'Bullshit,' she snaps mentally. She recognized this type of danger. Perhaps it was because Shippo was still a child and male that he didn't pick up what she was picking up. And that was what was confusing her. Who and what would want her in such a way. Possibilities flash through her mind. She grimaces at the poor aspects. Enamored by her thoughts, Kagome barely hears Shippo shouting at her or the sight of the huge mud brown demon crashing through the forest. She inhales sharply, lunges and rolls to the right as the demon slams its fist into the grounding creating a violent fall out.

"Shards," the beast curdles out.

Though the impact knocks her off of her feet, she is already on her feet bow and arrow aimed and ready.

"Shippo, go get Inuyasha and the others," she breathes out.

"I won't leave you," he cries as he stays close to her leg.

She leers down at him.

" . – now."

Shippo stares at her in awe, before tearing up. He was ready to defy her, she needed him. She was the closest and only thing he had as a mother and he would not lose her. If she died, he wouldn't know what to do. Shaking his head, he looks up again and spies Kagome's warm smile. Then he knew. she is depending on him. Nodding to her, he takes off towards the village. The demon noticing the small fox begins to run towards him, until a powerful wave strikes him in the shoulder. A gurgling roar slices the air as the huge demon's body turns from the blow.

From the shadows of the forest, Sesshoumaru watch the turns of event from a branch. He is impressed with Kagome's sensitivity to his presence. Something he recalls most humans were lacking. Even more so, it pleased him at her decision to send the kit back to the village. He could tell from the distance that the kit saw her as a maternal figure. And her stern reprimand at his disobedience increases respect for her. But that isn't what has him enraptured. It was the wave of power that obviously came from within her and not from the shards she was hiding in her clothes.

"Very interesting..."

"Why are we watching this inferior human woman, my lord?"

"It pleases me to do so."

Jaken quiets at the looming edge of his master's voice. He isn't sure why they are watching the woman-child that travels with his master's half-brother, but whatever the reason, he would not dare question him again.

Shippo ran with all his might to reach the village. Seeing Kaede, he leaps at her. Kaede sensing Shippo turns just in time to catch him in her arms.

"Shippo, whatever is the matter?"

"Kagome," he breathes. "She's in trouble!"

Kaede looks in the direction of the well and calls out for Inuyasha and the others and inform them of the news. Shippo seeing them race to the scene tries to join them, but Kaede tightens her grip on him.

"Best you stay here and rest," She suggests. "We don't want Kagome worrying over you."

Kagome glances in the direction of the village wondering if Shippo made it before pulling another arrow back aimed at the demon's head. Fortunately for her, the beast has yet to learn how to utilize much of the shard's power; making him manageable until the others arrived.

"Shards!" It shrieks.

Much to Kagome's horror, the glow of the shard embedded in his head brightens. Without thinking, she lets the arrow fly to the center of his forehead. Before it hits true to its mark, the demon now more like a beast deflects it with a swipe of the arm and immediately charges at her.

Silently cursing, Kagome rapidly releases three arrows back to back pooling more of her energy into each one more than the last one. Though it strikes the beast, the most it does is cause a pause in his charge. The shard had not only made his stronger but even larger. Her chances of escape were minute. If Inuyasha didn't come soon, she would have no choice but to use the shards in her pocket on herself. She wasn't sure of the consequences, but she be damn if she would allow her only resort to be some knight in shining armor.

Just as she reaches in her pocket, something makes contact with the beast releasing a gush of wind. Shielding her eyes with her arms, she turns her body away from the violent wind. Feeling it subside, she turns back ready to reel into Inuyasha for being so careless with his attack only to see Sesshoumaru standing a ways from her; staring at her with an intensity that leaves her feeling as though her stomach had dropped to her feet.

She watches him pick up the shards and study it. Her hands tighten on the shards in her pocket as she mentally wills Inuyasha to appear. The beast was one thing, but she's almost certain with or without the shards, she would still lose to a full fledge demon prince.

Her entirely body steels as he closes his fist over the shards and slowing makes his way to her. Her body begins to quake with a familiar desire as he stands barely a foot away. She looks at him as he peers down at her with molten amber eyes. Lifting his hand, he dangles the shard from his fingers. She obediently raises her hand to receive it. Dropping it, he inhales her scent, instantly picking up her growing desire.

"Hmm, do you want me human?"

"It's Kagome."

"Answer my question." His voice rumbles as he takes one step closer to her.

Before she could say anything else, Inuyasha's scream of her name pulls her attention from the looming prince. Shaking her head, she turns back to Sesshoumaru only to find him gone. She didn't bother to look around. She could still feel him from a distance – him and his desire. Closing her eyes, she slowly exhales as her body sings in protest.

"Be quiet will you?" She mumbles to herself. "We have enough problems without him."

Shaking off the urge, she guards herself and trots to where she hears the calls of her friends.


	2. A Child's Love

From the well back to the village, Kagome slowly closes her eyes as Inuyasha yells at her for being reckless and having a an obsession with the well, while Sango inquires after her health and Miroku continues his usual routine of trying to spread his seed.

"Why were you at the well…again?" Inuyasha demands.

Normally Kagome would yell at him and tell him to sit and leave him to twitch in his rut, but as her mind preoccupies with the transpiring events, two things race through her mind. One, how did a monster get that close to the well without anyone noticing it? Two, why was Sesshoumaru in the vicinity and how long had he been there…watching her?

"Hey!"

Kagome stops mid step realizing she is two steps from walking into Inuyasha. Blinking, she frowns at him.

"What do you want?" She inquires. She could feel a slow build of tension behind her eyes and a soft throb in the left corner of her head.

"I asked why were you at the well?" Inuyasha practically growls in frustration.

It was no mystery to anyone why after Kagome found out she couldn't return home that her usual prudish snappy attitude slowly faded away. Much to Inuyasha's horror, she wasn't showing half as much concern for him as she normally did. Even when he ran off to see Kikyo and return expecting her to cry or scream at him for leaving her for being with someone that was less than human. Instead He would find her sleeping with Shippo curled up against her in a warm cozy ball. It bothered him more than he thought it would. Now she was ignoring him and smelled of his brother. That irritated him.

"Because it gives me a peace of mind to be there, that's why." Kagome calmly retorts.

"Are you unhappy with being around us Kagome?" Sango quietly inquires.

Kagome looks at Sango's cloudy eyes and feels a tinge of guilt. This guilt not only makes her hate herself for causing someone who has been a dear friend to her sad, but aggravates her as well. She releases a quite flux of air from her lips before smiling weakly.

"I enjoy being around all of you," Kagome begins. "But this isn't my home…I don't belong here and…" She stops at the sudden rush of blood going to her head. She couldn't remember. Had she eaten that morning?

"Kagome…"

Everything begins to blur as the voices seem to slow and mush together. Before her mind completely blanks, she sees an image of a man facing away from her with long white hair. She scrunches her eyes trying to see more clearly.

"Sesshoumaru…?"

Inuyasha catches her as she collapses. He could feel something strongly charging through her body. Disturbed, he shifts her more securely in his arms.

"We better take her to Kaede just in case she's sick," Miroku suggests, he eyes furrowed.

The other two agree and quickly make their way back to the village.

Shippo stands waiting on the edge of the village when he sees Inuyasha bounding towards the village with Kagome limp in his arms. Ice trails up his spine as his pupil begins dilate. He leaps towards him, tears hanging at the corner of his eyes. Inuyasha sees him and dodges speeding into Kaede's home.

"Kaede, something is wrong with Kagome!"

Kaede stops mixing her herbs and turns to watch as Inuyasha gingerly lays Kagome down on her futon. Sensing throngs of energy surging in waves through the room, she gets up and sits beside Kagome only to have a large influx of energy hit her dead on. Inuyasha seeing her jerk backwards reaches out to steady her.

"What is it?"

His eyes search hers for unspoken answers. He finds only doubt and confusion.

"Are you saying you don't feel it?"

Inuyasha slowly turns his eyes back to Kagome's still body. As he continues to stare at her, he notices a faint pinkish hue beginning to cover the entirety of her body.

"Of course I feel it. I just don't understand what it is."

He stays his amber eyes on Kagome as he allows his mind to race over certain possibilities that could have caused this outcome when the remembrance of his brother's scent faintly loomed off of Kagome.

"When we finally got to her, the demon was dead and Kagome smelled of my brother."

Eyes darken, he focuses them on Kaede just as Sango and Miroku enters the room with Shippo.

"You don't think Sesshoumaru did this, do you?" Inuyasha grinds out.

Kaede muses over the idea briefly when Miroku suddenly speaks.

"A bit out of his, uh, style dare I say."

Inuyasha snaps his head to Miroku in defiance.

"You're not saying that Kikyo is the cause of this, are you?"

"Well," Sango begins. "She has tried to kill Kagome."

Inuyasha scoffs and turns away from them and moves to the other side of the corner to sit with his back to them. Kaede shakes her head as she watches him grumble to himself before turning her attention back to Kagome.

"Whatever is causing this, I feel we are powerless to do anything." She admits sorrowfully. "The only thing we can do now is wait."

Days pass and then weeks. Kagome lays like a perfectly still doll in a glass casket on the futon. Everyone take turns in caring for her except when changing her clothes and washing her. This responsibility was limited strictly to Kaede and Sango. Inuyasha restless by her dead like appearance stays away from the village; first for a few days then for a week. Out of them all, Shippo is the only one who stays by her side continuingly speaking to her and bringing her flowers.

Kikyo sensing the shift in the atmosphere, lingers closer to the village much to Sango and even Kaede's displeasure. The news of the young priestess's condition travels across the land. Kouga and his tribe travel from the eastern mountains to pay respect to Kagome from outside of the village by setting up camp in the nearby woods. News reaches even Sesshoumaru of the sleeping beauty and her still state of being.

"Lord Sesshoumaru?" A young girl calls as she pulls on the sleeve of his robe.

"What is it Rin?" He answers softly. His eyes peer out in the Western Lands and all its territory.

"Is the woman everyone talking about going to die?"

The question causes the nerve in his eyes to twitch. Without answering, he walks out from the elegant stone balcony to the main hall. The idea of Kagome dying before obtaining and satisfying his need of her causes red to seep into his eyes. Inhaling he rolls his head and shuffles his shoulders until calmness flows through him. Exhaling, his voice rumbles.

"Jaken…"

Wobbling, Jaken hastens to Sesshoumaru's side, stick and all.

"Yes My Lord…"

"We leave now, prepare the dragon."

Without waiting for a reply, Sesshoumaru continues down the hall, his mind racing at the remembrance of her want for him. His chest rumbles as he makes his way outside to the dragon. Seeing Rin and Jaken, he thinks briefly of leaving them, but then an idea comes to him. He looks at Rin a small smile gracing his lips.

On the thirtieth day, Inuyasha lies scowling across the room at the recent outcomes since Kagome's sleep. 'It's bad enough the damn wolf and his mangy pack is camped outside the village,' he thinks. 'Now Sesshoumaru is here!? What the hell is going on?' He looks back over his shoulder at Kagome to see Shippo talking to her as has been his routine. He rolls his eyes. She was deader than Kikyo and that was saying something. Irritation rises, he begins to taunt Shippo.

"I don't know why you talk to her every day, it's not like she can hear you."

Shippo stops mid-sentence and looks at Inuyasha eyes wide.

"Why…would you say something like that?"

"Well it's the truth," Inuyasha continues as he sits up. "She's practically dead."

Shippo weighed by so many emotions bites his lips to hold back the rage boiling in him.

"You…you're terrible," He stutters.

"It's not my fault you can't handle the truth."

'Everything is so warm here,' Kagome thinks. 'I could stay here forever…so peaceful.'

Kagome smiles as the surrounding warmth flows around her wave after wave. The more she repeated, 'I could stay here forever,' the more her comatose state deepened. It got to the point that she was actively walking around in the space of flowing energy. In addition, on occasion she would encounter a beautiful woman dressed in elegant garbs. They would talk for hours and seemingly the desire to return home to her own time disappeared.

"Where am I?" Kagome asks as she looks around the shapeless environment.

"_A place that is and is not."_

The woman shaped being giggles as she flutters to Kagome's left side.

"_Instead you should ask, why are you here"_

Kagome stops and stares at the ancient spirit as realization dawns on her. The memory of the battle with the mud beast rushes to her mind. Sesshoumaru and his desire of her and Shippo – what had become of him? Panic strikes her body as lightning strikes a tree.

"Shippo!"

"_Hurry, he is in need of his 'mother.'"_

"Shut up! You don't know anything!"

'Shippo…?' Kagome can feel her borrows kneading downward at the distress sound. 'What's wrong?' She violently shakes her head.

"Help me wake up, you've kept me her long enough!" Kagome yells.

The ancient spirits regards her stoically as her hair swims to an unseen wind.

"_An agreement, make one and I will release you."_

She hears more voices but she can't make them out. The feel of water washing back and forward in her ears makes the sounds incomprehensible. 'I need to wake up and see what's wrong with Shippo.' She jerks her body

"My mother, K-Kagome is not dead!"

Kagome swears and snaps her eyes to the ancient woman.

"Fine, I'll do whatever you want," she agrees through grated teeth.

The ancient woman simply stares at Kagome before her lips slowly curl into a smile. Without warning the transparent being grasps her arm. Her body solidifying into the trapped priestess of the old tale of the jewel. Her eyes were a crystal lilac void of all traces of humanity.

"_Awaken..."_

Shippo lie wailing on Kagome as Inuyasha tries to shut him up with threats and insults.

"You're just mad," Shippo accuses. "Because you're weak and useless!"

Inuyasha stun by his statement quickly becomes enrages and raises his hand to strike him. Shippo squint his eyes and clutches onto Kagome to brace himself. When he feels no pain, he slowly opens his eyes to see an enraged Kagome flowing with power.

"How dare you strike a child…that is under my protection?" She glowers.

While it is evident that she is angry there is a strange calmness in her. She immediately notices that Inuyasha's hair is black that Shippo is unharmed but distressed. She looks around and can sense Kouga and Sesshoumaru outside of the village. She faintly hears Kaede communicating with them and the crunch of Sango's shoes as she makes her way back to the hut. Looking down at Shippo she smiles much to his relief. One tap and he is on her shoulder. Without effort, she rises to her feet effortlessly slams Inuyasha into a wall much to Sango's horror, who just entered the hut.

"Kagome," Sango whispers.

"Sango," Kagome chimes. "It's good to see you again."


	3. Allure

Sango stares at Kagome in disbelief. Outwardly, Sango could not see any signs of a curse or even the influence of some type of rune or magical item. And yet, the electricity that was sparking in the air was stifling.

"It's good…" Sango stumbles over her words before throwing herself at Kagome and embracing her.

"We – I thought you would never wake up." She sniffles. "It's been so long."

The intensity in the atmosphere softens gradually as Kagome returns the gesture.

"I missed you too," Kagome begins. "Although, I like to think that I wasn't sleep for that long."

Sangos's watery smile thins out. Her eyes drops and becomes as one who is reliving a forgotten memory. 'H-How long was I sleep?' Kagome begins to think as she looks around the room. Nothing was estranged or amiss from what she could see. 'It couldn't have been more than a week.' She begins to chew her bottom lip.

"Shippo?"

"Yes?" He answers from her shoulder.

"How long…was I sleep?"

She feels Shippo shift on her back, nuzzling up to her as though reassuring himself that she was real and not a wisp or figment of his imagination.

"A full moon cycle, I think."

She racks her memory for clues before recalling a diagram she learned in middle school that broke down the time length of each moon phase.

"One month!? I've been sleep for one month?!"

"Yes, and thank all that is living that it wasn't longer." Kaede interjects as she enters the hut.

"Kaede…" Kagome embraces her tightly. "

""I'm glad you're awake child."

Kagome nodes as she pulls away. Kaede having felt the power from afar along with Kouga and Sesshoumaru, glances around the room when she spots Inuyasha.

"I see you've greeted Inuyasha, as the usual." Kaede remarks while nodding approvingly.

Kagome looks away as heat rises to her face. It wasn't that she thought of herself violent – even though many of her friends in the modern era often said she had a short temper. Even if it is true, no one wants such a trait verbally remarked on in the open. Laughing it off in a skipping record, Kagome clears her throat.

"I'm famished. So I'm going to go get some food and stretch my legs."

She leaves the hut without another word and into a plethora of sounds and smells. Inside the hut, everything was muffled. Outside in the open, everything becomes amplified and jumbled. Nothing is withheld from her. Not the soft crunching of leaves under someone's foot or the snarls of disgruntled wolves. Nor the hollow song of the soul captors or the hyper chatter of a small child and a demon with a nasal tone. She cocks her head to the side as though trying to drain her ear canal of the noise. Without any luck, she finally presses her hands over her ears as she doubles over focusing her eyes on the ground, the rocks and its harsh groves and breaks. Hearing something scrubbing across what sounds like sand paper, her eyes swiftly darts to a caterpillar and its fine silken hair swishing in the air as it scrunched its body upward and downward in a line.

For the first time, she feels power – untapped power flowing through ever blood vessel in her body. With every breath of air she takes, undiluted power weaves into the fibers of her being.

"Invincible," she breathes.

From the roof of one of the huts, Sesshoumaru watches the woman child with new curiosity. He could feel her power from outside of the village. She was different somehow. 'Perhaps she took hold of the shards for herself?' He muses. That would explain the shift in the atmosphere around her but not the new smell intertwining with her scent.

He breathes deeply. She is still pure in that she is not with child or tainted with a male's scent. It surprises him yet again that his brother had not taken the woman child as his own. But at the faint tinged smell of earth and lingering death, his eyes narrow. 'The fool prefers the dead over the living.' He returns his focus back to Kagome whom he notices is heading towards the eastern woods. A small smile graces his features.

"Shippo?"

He jumps at her call and timidly comes to her, hand raise to her. She takes his hand without looking at him.

"I'm going out for a moment," she explains.

Shippo tenses. Kagome looks at him. Her eyes crinkle on the side as she releases his hand and caress his face.

"I'll be back."

Pausing, Shippo acknowledges the unspoken promise hidden beneath her words and returns to Kaede. She wants to run but decides to wait until she cuts through the village rice fields to enter the forest. To avoid detection, she stays her new found strength until she crosses over the fence that marks the village edge.

Hesitant, Kagome keeps her hands on the fence as she peers out into the forest. No one had to tell her that indulging in power was a dangerous thing. She knew, she could feel it…and yet her curiosity was great and the allure so appealing. Removing one hand, she stretches out her body in a line. 'This is it,' she reasons. 'No going back.' Inhaling, she releases her other hand and walks into the wood.

Her walk becomes a trot which before long becomes a skip as trees become like streaming blurs. Enthrall, she leaps towards the moon barely missing a tree limb as she lands. Stumbling at contact with the ground, she grabs the trunk of a nearby tree.

"Wow," she exhales.

Looking around, she positions her feet deep into the ground, burrowing up dirt around her. Body bending like a small bow - she takes to the sky and manages to land single footed on the branch of a tree fifteen foot from the ground. It is not until she makes it to a watering pool in the clearing of the woods that she encounters a faint scent. 'A village…?' Her eyes widens as she quickly looks around her surroundings. How far had she travelled? Leaping down, she quickly ducks behind some bushes at the sight of a humanoid demon with bear hind laced about its body, approaching the pool of water.

Studying it, she watches it and before long preys on it as the power in her charges and surges within.

_"__Kill it, he is a defiled beast."_

Her eyes widen at the familiar feminine voice. She whips around expecting to see the phantom beauty only to find nothing but empty space. She peers into the darkness before cautiously turning back to the watering pool. She contemplates whether she should flex her muscles on the demon or go back home, until she picks up the voices of nearby village women coming towards the pool.

"Damn," she mumbles.

The women would walk right on the demon. Heat surges through her. She feels her muscle coiling tight as though preparing for the inevitable. 'Should I attack it before it attacks the women?' She ponders. 'Maybe they'll see it and quickly run away.'

_ "__What harm is there in killing a beast?"_

Startle screams floods her ears causing her to grimace.

"Stupid women…" She heaves a sigh.

She reaches for a bow that isn't present and curses herself for her carelessness. "_Use the power_…" she hears a faint whisper. 'I can't' Kagome argues. The furrow in her brows deepens with each passing minute. Another scream…She jumps out from the bush and sees the woman, who had the water container, female companion running away as her friend's feet dangle inches from the ground. The demon begins to crush her throat.

_"__Will you let her die?"_

Hissing out a curse, Kagome leaps forward.

Sesshoumaru had been watching the entire scenario from a distance, taking note of her new strengths and the extent of her power. It wasn't until she reached the clearing and spotted the demon that he decided to get a bit closer less she put herself in danger before he got what he wanted from her.

'What will you do now, woman?' He wonders as he studies her. His golden eyes almost lava with intensity. He watches her reach over her shoulder for a bow that normally is waiting for her use. His eyes light at her outward rebuke to herself. His mood darkens and his body tightens as the situation grew more intense. Would this hero syndrome human allow another one to die? Had he underestimated her personality and love of?

"What did she call it?" His eyes lower as he traces over his memory. "Aa, justice..."

Just as he returns his attention back to her, he witnesses her leap forward and pierces a blunt hole the circumference of her fist through the demon's chest. Slowly the beast's huge claws drop the woman to the ground with a crumbling thud. 'Intriguing…' Sesshoumaru muses and straightens himself until he sees something that makes him move without thought.

All Kagome could hear was a deafening rumble in her ears and a searing white light. She had given in to the voice and felt like she was thrown into a never ending tornado. When she finally regained her sense, the first thing that she notices is the horrific smell of blood and the sticky substance on her hand and forearm. She didn't need to see it to know what she had done. Staring at her hand, she nearly pukes as she allows the heavy organ clenched in her hand to drop to the ground.

She rushes to the pool of water and begins to vigorously wipe the blood off of arm. 'You're not a murder Kagome,' she reasons. 'It's a demon…so it doesn't count. Just wash off its blood, go back to the village and pretend it never happened.' Breathing deeply, she slangs the water off her hands as she rises to her feet. Looking to the woman, she debates briefly whether to leave her. She looks at her feet and kicks the dirt begrudgingly for settling to check the woman's pulse and leave before a mob of villagers return and try to accuse her of being a demon.

Feeling a pulse, she gives a curt nod and turns to leave only to see Sesshoumaru standing within arm's length away from her. From the tension and smell of danger coming off of him, she knew this time he wasn't here to have a midnight rendezvous.

"You," his voice drips like acid. "What are you?"

Just as Kagome opens her mouth to retort, she stops at the sound of a group of people…a large one at that. Sighing, she shakes her head.

"I never should have left the village," she groans as a light giggle flutter around her ears.


	4. The Beginning

Sesshoumaru stares intently at the woman-child as she mumbles and glances around. Her fumbling around confuses him. Sesshoumaru is not one to be made out to be a fool. Grinding his teeth, he takes one step forward.

"Answer my question woman."

"It's Ka-go-me, okay?"

He stares at her before slowly releasing air from between his lips. 'What is she looking for?' He ponders as he notices her fidgeting behavior. Curiosity piqued, he scents the air. Eyes widening, he turns his attention back to the woman-child, eyes narrowing.

"Has your senses improved?"

"What?" she responses, her brows furrowed.

"You've been constantly looking behind you, have your senses improved?" He asks again as he decreases the distance between them.

Kagome unsure if she can trust Sesshoumaru remains silent. Raising an eyebrow, Sesshoumaru continues to advance towards her until he was safely within arm's reach. He watches her wide brown eyes once again shift over her shoulders in a fleeting fashion. He slowly closes his eyes and embraces the increase rate of her heartbeat, the flutter in her breathing, and the tightening and loosening of her muscles.

"We should," Kagome begins.

Breaking his trance, Sesshoumaru opens his eyes and focuses on her eyes first and as she began to explain to him that a large group was approaching them, he settles on her lips.

"So we need to leave before they get here," she urges. "Like n-..."

Before Kagome can finish her sentence, she finds herself muted by Inuyasha's brother. This is the man who is supposed to hate humans and knowingly despises Inuyasha and all who are associated with him. His hold on her face and the hand slowly sliding up her back begins to burn into her as he seemingly deepens the kiss. Her hands free and dangling, slides up and rests on his forearm while the other gripped the fabric from his side.

Sesshoumaru couldn't understand why he is kissing this woman-child. He knew he wanted her but only to sate the need he had for her. He knew what she was trying to warn him of, he could smell the fire mixed with oil growing stronger. But he needed, wanted her. Over the toxic odor that the humans were releasing into the air, Kagome's sweet scent washes over him. And before he can stop his thought from becoming action, the demon in him propels him forward. Perhaps this change, whatever it was made her more alluring. Regardless of what was the cause, the beast's desire for her had increased incredulously.

The villagers were fast approaching and much to Kagome's disdain, she could not will herself away from Sesshoumaru. She wars with her mind as she fights to pull away only to find his hand pressing on the small of her back bringing her closer. His mouth sears her and she begins to feel a tightness in her lungs. She sighs in his mouth and he in turns inhales her breath. A brief exchange of souls. He takes her breath until she becomes limp in his arm, breathing softly.

"There! That must be the monster who attacked the two girls!"

Sesshoumaru sneers at the false accusation, as he securely embraces Kagome in his arms.

"There's another woman in his arms!"

Straightening up, Sesshoumaru stands regal at his full height. It wasn't long before they noticed his possessive hold on the woman before another assumption spews from the crowd.

"Look how he's holding her! I bet she sold her body to him for some kind of power, the whore!"

The muscles in Sesshoumaru's body tightens like a coil spring. 'How dare these filth of a people,' his mind roars. He can feel the addicting flood of power fill his body as red seeps into his eyes. He would kill them for shaming his woman. He looks down at her and increases his hold on her. He raises his free hand and visually flexes it. The people exclaim as they stir in unease. His footsteps which are light and feathery crushes the ground like a piston. The climate around him shift in response to his flux of energy.

"How easy it would be to kill you," his voice drips.

Another step forward.

"We're not afraid of you, demon!"

Another step.

"Demon? I am a lord." He seethes as he raises his arm to strike. And yet before he can make the forest floor run red, he stops.

"Sess…home," she mumbles before turning her face into the crux of his arm as her hand strokes small circles on his chest.

He stares at her, drowning out the noise from the mob. Closing his eyes, he focuses on her touch. He stares at his inner beast eye to eye. Its huge nose flair before a low rumble vibrates the floor. Sesshoumaru understanding its emotions places a hand on him and watches as it, who is in fact himself, closes his eyes in resolve. Opening them, his stares at the villagers with clear eyes, face placid. He looks at the restrained rowdy villagers before leaping into the air out of sight.

By the next afternoon, gossip of the encounter from the night before had reached Kaede's village. Inuyasha and the gain were adamantly looking for her. Only Kaede knew where she was and for reasons unknown withheld the information of her location. When Kagome wakes, the first thing she notices is the firm body pressed against her back. Her breathing stops momentarily when she feels a large hand slide across her lower stomach. Shifting his hand upward, Sesshoumaru lightly drags the tips of his nails on her skin. He pauses at the high shriek that escapes her lips as her breathing hitches.

His lips turn upward.

"You're awake?" he mumbles.

She shuffles against him in response to his question. He continues his escape upwards with his nails. His eyes narrow as she shivers against his touch. His mind ponders for her reason of not refusing him. She always rejected his half-brother. But then that was before this new change in her. Perhaps, she was becoming less human.

"Interesting," he muses.

"What is?" She asks softly as she peers over her shoulder.

"You are," he pauses. "Kagome."

He watches with satisfaction at the darkening of her skin. One brow raises as he leans down towards her ear.

"Kagome," he purrs.

Kagome bites her lips. Her arousal wafts towards him as he inhales his scent. His muscles tightens instantly.

"Control yourself," he grinds out.

"I'm trying." Kagome confesses meekly.

He stares down at her, his eyes wide at her honest response. He was initially speaking to himself and his inner hunger, but upon hearing her confession the restraints were removed. The hand that teased her skin, now palmed her body, preparing her for his conquest.

Kagome knows she should get up and return back to her friends, but deep down she wanted him to take her. She needed his power and the protection he could give her and shippou.

"I shouldn't," she gasps as his hand originally cradling her, kneads her thighs. The pressured point and release created a surging pull in the pit of her stomach.

_"__We need him."_

"Sess- no"

He silences her with his mouth and moves her completely beneath him. Feeling her grip on his clothes, he allows her a moment's breathe…only a moment and he takes her mouth again, eliciting a moan from her. Purring, he pulls at her hip until a voice shatters his concentration.

"Kagome I can smell you and that asshole, so quit playing around and come out, !"

A lethal growl escapes Sesshoumaru as his inner beast moves to meet the one who would demand what was his with such aggression. He stops once again by the soft mews of his love interest. His eyes slowly peer down at her as her hands moves across his chest. Closing his eyes, he sighs. She was close to entering a heat. At this recognition, all sexual desires depart from him. He straightens up and scents the air.

"Kagome…your eyes."

Kagome eyes gleams a molten lilac fire at his statement.

"Isn't it wonderful?"


	5. The Beginning, Part 2

Sesshoumaru eyes slant and stays his towering body over Kagome at her change in demeanor. She was not the same woman. This Kagome, he recognize, is seductive, alluring and manipulative. He scoffs at the idea of a mere woman-child having the ability to manipulate him or any male for that matter. And yet, twice he had fallen victim to her schemes; first in the woods and just now. A growl slowly increases in volume as Kagome's eyes brighten.

Sensing his growing discomfort, Kagome shushes him in a song like fashion as the sirens of the north would have done. Feeling his mind bend, he takes hold of her throat.

"What game are you playing?"

She doesn't speak nor does she acknowledge the hold on her throat. She merely traces symbols along his arms, chest, torso and waist. She does this until in his desperation, he yanks her to his mouth. His hand still firmly on her throat. The sudden surge of heat nearly takes over him, driving him to insatiable carnality.

"Ka-go-me!"

The spell is broken. Blinking, Sesshoumaru peers down at Kagome, the edges of his eyes inked red. The hand that was readily waiting to crush the life out of her was holding her up against him. Her hands gripped tightly on his sides as she writhe against his working hand.

"Woman," he mumbles. "What witchery is this?"

"I'm giving you what you want," she muses. Her lilac eyes sparkling.

Disgust washes over him. Wanting to rid himself of the feeling, he tosses her off him, dressing as quickly as he had removed her from his body.

Kagome eyes flutter as she hits the ground. Slightly bouncing, she lets out a startle cry. Her eyes dart about in confusion. Mind fogged from the darkness, she spies Sesshoumaru dressing and notices the draft across her body. 'How did I get naked?' she ponders to herself. Her eyes snap in anger towards Sesshoumaru.

"Fiend," she hisses.

"The only fiend in this shack is you."

"I'm not the one undressing people while they are unconscious."

A sound which resemble air pushing upwards against the roof of someone's mouth escapes Sesshoumauru as he dons the soft fluff accessory across his shoulder. He glances at her momentarily before walking towards the entrance of the upper room; leaving her in a state of undress.

"Asshole," she huffs.

Frustrated in more than one ways, she sighs exasperatedly as flops back unto the makeshift bed of leaves, straw, and scattered fabric. It is at that moment that Kagome's mind begins to glimpse at fragments of the events of last night. The warmth of Sesshoumaru's bare chest against her skin. His muscular hands grasping and caressing the length of her body and the overwhelming desire for protection and power.

Her brows crease at the recalling of a dark enveloping void pulling at her, beckoning her to gain more power. Feeling the return of that odd yet frightening falling sensation, Kagome shakes her head. She wills herself from the cold gripping memory, her hands rubbing fiercely against her arms in an attempt to warm her body. Instantly, the room of passion and fire became old and eerie.

"I better get back to the others," she prompts herself.

Dressing, she feels a powerful pull from within jolt her body as soft giggles waft in the air. She instantly looks at the hand where two shards should have been embedded into her hand only to find nothing. Fear grips her, sending a cold chill down her body to the point she feels dizzy. 'How could they have disappeared!?' her mind races.

_"__We need more shards, more..."_

Her body pulsates again, this time nearly throwing her to the floor. Desperately, she scrambles out of the room and slams into a body.

"Kagome, where did you come from?" Miroku asks as he holds her body up.

Bile pours from Kagome's mouth before she can answer her traveling companion. It isn't long before Inuyasha, Sango and the others come rushing to Kagome's side. She swats them away viciously.

"Stop, there's two shards nearby!"

"How do you know that," Sango asks with furrowed brows.

"I just know," Kagome gasps out. "It's heading for the village, we have to stop it now."

At this exclamation, the increasing pain nearly dissipates completely.

"Even if we go, you're not going while puking your guts out all over the floor." Inuyasha declares.

Kagome speaks the damning command 'sit' without a thought, retrieves her bow from Shippou and walks towards the Southern entrance of the village. Noticing her friends not following her lead, she turns back, her eyes brown eyes laced with a floating blue hue.

"Stay here if you want, but I won't let the people in this village come to harm."

Sesshoumaru storms through the forest with Rin and Jaken on his heels, staggering and jogging to keep up with his fervent attempt to get away.

"Lord Sesshoumaru," Jaken squeaks out. His legs barely keeping pace. His reply was silence as whipping leaves and branches.

"Lord Sesshoumaru!" Rin calls out. She barely dodges a swinging limb. "Please, you must st –"

Her sentence is cut off by a sudden shriek which in turn causes Sesshoumaru to pause in mid stride. Annoyance ripples through his body, lacing in with the frustration that he was unable to dispel with the woman child. Turning, he reaches her side in moments and pulls her back to her feet. He stills the muscles in his jaw. As irate as he felt, it wasn't the child's fault and he was grievously aware of it.

"Rin," he speaks softly as he places a hand gingerly on her head.

"It's okay," she replies. Her eyes shyly cast towards the ground.

Nodding, he continues towards the clearing where his dual headed dragon laid wait for him. Sensing its master, they raise their heads. The right one huffs.

"Let us go, I tire of these humans."

A low rumble vibrates the earth as the ancient beast rises from the ground. A symbol of power and strength, it is unclear how exactly the beast had come under Sesshoumauru's allegiance. Its emerald eyes survey his master and the two following behind him: a lesser and a human. He continues to watch his master in puzzlement while his brother nuzzle against him.

Sensing his curiosity, Sesshoumaru idly rubs the crown of his head. He chuffs at his master which earns him a side long glance from the brooding lord. Rolling his eyes, a long stream of smoke curls from his mouth as he flexes for departure. His brother beside him nips at him at his apparent critical view of his master. Huffing, he awaits for his passengers to be seated. With a slight nudge of the reins from his master, they take to the sky.

As they ascend to the heavens, Sesshoumaru's mind momentarily blanks before Jaken's high nasal pitch crashes through the wall of his subconscious.

"Look my lord!" Jaken exclaims. His staff points in the area of the village from which Sesshoumaru vacated. "It appears some wild beast is raging towards the village."

At this Sesshoumaru turns his attention to the village and notices the traveling brown smoke heading straight for the village. His eyes slant at the possibility of the woman child getting hurt when her alter ego popped to mind. Mouth curling up on the side as his brows dip, Sesshoumaru turns his attention back to the scenery in front of him.

'Let her seduce her way out of it, since it seems she is an expert at it.' He glowers mentally.

Kagome and Inuyasha reach the front of the village at the same time, leaving the others behind. Inuyasha continually peers at Kagome from his peripheral as she stands focused on the incoming beast. It amazed him at her level of speed and strength. He begins to wonder if she had always had this power and simply hid it from them. He discreetly scents the air.

She was still human for the most part. His brows scrunches together as confusion begins to cloud his mind.

"Here it comes," Kagome announces.

Blinking, he pulls out Tessaiga and stands ready. As they wait for the beast, he steals another glance. When did her hair become longer? He resists the temptation to lift his finger up to check for wind. From what he could feel, there was no wind. Yet Kagome hair softly wafts about her. Lowering his eyes, it dawns on him just as a huge reptilian crashes through the forest.

It releases a shattering roar causing both Kagome and Inuyasha to cover their ears. The earth vibrates beneath their feet as a deeper under lace roar releases the effect of an earthquake.

Before Inuyasha could yell, "Kagome get behind me!" He found her halfway across the field pooling excess amount of energy into her arrows as she fired. By the time Sango and Miroku arrived, Kagome was pulling the two shards out of the bowls of the beast. Her arm though thickly covered in the beast's blood seems to unfazed her. As soon as she closed her hands over the shards, her body absorbs them. Power immediately pulsates from her and for a brief moment her entire appearance changes much to the awe and horror of the others.

"What has happened to Kagome?" Sango asks. Her hands tight and trembling at her side.

"I don't know, but whatever it is, we need to be on our guard," Miroku advises. His hold on his staff firm.


	6. Between the Lines

A/N: For many of you who do not know, I have changed a good chuck of the story line. So if you're just now tuning in and you've read the previously beforehand, I encourage you to go back and start with Chapter 2 and move forward.

I will say that some chapters are not so different from the original, whereas others are almost entirely new. Here is the long awaited continuation to the next chapter of the story.

I hope you all enjoy it and I thank everyone for the continued support and comments.

Everything is foggy. That is what Kagome thinks as she looks around. She remembers running to the front of the village and reluctantly used the power of the ancient spirit. It was then she recalls that she lost sight of herself. It isn't until she feels a burst of hot wind that she realizes that she isn't in the real world.

"Hey! Let me out!"

Soft laughter explodes around her. Irritated, she remains still as the wind begins to circulate around her.

"Enough of the bullshit! Release me now!" Kagome practically screams as power burst from her in the form of high winds.

"_My, my…it seems you are not useless after all."_

"Cut the crap," Kagome lashes out. "Release me from this hell hole right now!"

A rush of wind storms Kagome causing her to use her forearms to shield herself. Unsure of how to escape she begins to sink into despair.

"Kagome? Kagome can you hear me?"

'That's shippo!'

With a resurgence of defiance, she begins to will the energy swirling around her into her body. The ancient woman instantly appears before her. Her eyes wide with dismay and unbelief.

"_What are you doing? Stop this at once!"_

"I will not allow you to keep me from what's important to me!"

More energy rushes into Kagome as she focuses more and more on obtaining a way out. The once wide eyes of dismay transforms into narrow slit. Huffing, the ancient woman waves her hand and with a startle gasp Kagome awakens. She frantically looks around and spies Shippo looking at her curiously.

She exhales; her shoulder slumping forward. 'It seems I wasn't out of it long.' As relieved as she felt, it was short lived. She didn't need to look at her companions to feel the tension in the air. Silently cursing under her breath, she slowly turns to her friends, one hand behind her head.

"I suppose you guys want an explanation, huh." She laughs as she slowly rubs her arm.

"You damn right we do!" Inuyasha interjects. "What the hell has happened to you?!"

"Well about that…" Kagome begins.

"Kagome, forgive me for interrupting, "Miroku states. "But I notice that you have a strange tattoo on your hand."

Immediately Kagome's eyes shoot to her hand as she raises it to eye level. True to his words, she recognizes the beginnings of a strange patter of curls and knots. It was clear that the ancient woman didn't explain everything there was to explain about their little contract.

Word spreads of Kagome's increase endeavors as her and her companions gather more and more of the shards. With nearly a fourth of the Shikan jewel completed, Kagome's appearance has begun to change. Her hair is longer and her body more developed and alluring. Men near and far have said to adorn her with gifts as elaborate as a kimono with an array of colors. It is specially stylized for warfare and ease of mobility. Though many sees her as a pure maiden, she has been adorned with the title of Mistress of Many Colors.

Sesshoumaru tosses the report in the fire. 'Mistress of colors, huh.' He chuffs at the dubious entitlement. It had been several months since his last encounter with the woman child and to his dissatisfaction, his hunger for her has done nothing to lessen itself. No matter how much he occupies himself with surveying his lands or waring with neighboring land owners and tribes. He throbs for her. So much that he was beginning to lose his appetite. The beast within him refuses to cooperate. And it is not good to war with oneself for too long. He gazes into the fire as he decides what to do next.

"Lord Sesshoumaru?"

"Yes, Rin."

"Can we go and gather some flowers?"

"N-…" He stops. An idea surfacing. He cannot stop the slow smile creeping along the edges of his face.

"Of course Rin, collect Jaken and we shall go."

He watches as Rin's face split into a full smile before dashing off down the long hall. It is at that moment that the statue and size of the room becomes apparent. As often as he frequents the room, he has never in the past taken note of the size or the grandeur of it. Rising from his seat, he walks out of the study into the main hall where he sees Jaken disputing with Rin.

"Jaken," He calls. His low voice rumbling against the stone walls.

"My Lord!" Jaken shrieks. "This child has tried to tell this Jaken to prepare the dragons for flowers. I have told her she is a fool and is mistaken."

With unwavering eyes, Sesshoumaru lifts Jaken off the ground by his staff. As always, this useless demon seems determine to delay his plans with his useless chatter and logic.

"You would do well to do what you are told in the near future," He responds placidly.

"Y-yes my l- ahhh."

Sesshoumaru steps over Jaken whom now lay on the floor writhing from the hard impact. The sound makes him feel lighter – at least for the moment. Rin waits as Sesshoumaru approaches and without missing a beat, takes his hand and heads out to the dragons. The walk is peaceful.

"My lord wait for me~!"

Sesshoumaru's shoulder slump at the sound of his retainer's voice. 'I really should replace him. It just takes too much trouble.'

Dusk approaches. The cool breeze of the wind sifts through Shippo's hair as he scents the air. His mother is always near the well these days, he acknowledges. 'Ever since her change…' He cannot deny the joy he felt at her change initially. It was like she became more like him and less like the people in the village. She was never unkind to him, if anything her affections seemed more apparent. But to the others, she was different. It was subtle at first, he realizes. It happened around the time when Sango and the others realized that Kagome's body was absorbing the shards. But from what he was told, Kagome initially had the shikan jewel in her body.

'Only makes sense that it goes back to where it came from.' Shippo deduces as he continues to make his way to the well. 'Perhaps it's because of the change.' His brows furrow for a moment until he spies Kagome asleep against the well. Her hair like black lacquer flows down her body to the grown like a weaving river. Her head slightly tilted back looks to be at ease. It has been a long time since Shippo has seen her sleep without looking as if she was having a war or experiencing something tragic. He still recalls the time when they were traveling and she would wake from her sleep screaming; her body ablaze in blue fire.

'It was beautiful,' Shippo reflects. He sits on a log not too far from her, watching her as the wind softly blows. But as beautiful as it was; it was frightening. Her eyes were red like that of a demon. It was from then on that even Sango began to treat her differently, more distant. At first, Kagome appeared bother by the whole ordeal. She tried multiple times to explain the situation to them. While Inuyasha and Sango would make excuses to get away, Miroku did listen to her.

"You're sick Kagome." Miroku confesses. His hand firmly gripping her shoulder. "Though the shards came from you, it seems to want to kill you and I do not know how to help you."

Saddened, Miroku looks down at his hand.

"The only thing I have is a curse. One that would do more harm to you than help."

Shippo remembers the tears brimming on the edge of her eyes. She was practically getting a death sentence. Even Kaede didn't know how to help her. Consequentially, as Kagome grew in power, she became weaker in strength. Shippo couldn't afford to lose her. He bows his head between his legs as a clenching chill begins to take home of him. She is his home. Without her, he would have nothing.

"Shippo."

Shippo heads snaps up at Kagome's faint call. Immediately he races to her side.

"Yes, what's wrong?"

Kagome opens her brownish violet eyes. She smiles weakly at him.

"How long have I been here?" Kagome mumbles. Her mind still fog with fatigue.

"Maybe an hour or so. Not terribly long."

"The others?"

Shippo cringes inwardly. He grips his shirt and avoids eyes contact.

"I see," she sighs. "We must leave them Shippo. It is clear we are no longer a part of their team."

Shippo nods firmly. He was ready. It's why he packs her bag every morning, for an occasion such as this.

"Where shall we g—…" Before Shippo could finish his thought, he whips around, dagger out. Kagome with fluidity leans forward only to have her heart stop. She shakes her head thinking she had finally lost it. When the vision doesn't go away, but steadily approaches her, she rises up to a sitting position.

"Woman, where is my idiot brother?"

"It's…Kagome, I told you that." She replies softly.

The edges of Sesshoumaru's mouth twitches as his eyes gleam.

"I know and here you are alone.


	7. Emotions

AN: Thank you to all who comment and are following my works! I feel so overjoyed and am truly grateful to everyone. Please continue to comment and let me know your thoughts. Enjoy!

Seeing Kagome in her current state causes a ripple to go through Sesshoumaru's body. He could no longer call her a child. Her body was beyond the measurement of anything "child-like." Her droopy eyes and slightly parted lips as she softly inhales air through her rounded chest makes him tighten in some unknown anticipation.

'What exactly are you anticipating?' he questions himself as he stares intently at the woman before him. A low internal growl reminds him of what he wants. Eyes narrowing, the edges of his mouth slowly curl upward.

"What do you want!?" Shippou barks.

Blinking, Sesshoumaru eyes eases down at the young fox demon. 'Ah, the child,' he seethes. His inner demon chuffs. Sesshoumaru almost rolls his eyes but refrains. Instead he looks at the boy with cool indifference.

"My business is not with you boy." He begins to step towards Kagome only to find himself once again in front of the fox child. His nose and ear twitch before he leans back on the ball of his feet slightly. Peering at the child, he takes in his full postures. 'Where have I seen this pose?' He ponders. Immediately his mind flashes to a younger Inuyasha with his human mother. 'So that's what this is…'

Standing flat on his feet, he wills his expression to soften. He lax his arms and shoulders and slightly faces his palms outward. Sighing, he takes another step towards the fox child.

"Listen carefully," he speaks slow and softly. "Your _mother…"_

Shippou ears twitch at the term of kinship.

"She needs attention. As you can see her body is weak."

Shippou blinks a few times before tilting his head, his eyes widening.

"She needs protection," he explains slowly. "And I can offer her and you, her son, the protection needed."

Shippou glances back at Kagome and her body, leaning against the well. His brows knit together as he comprehends her situation. He leers at Sesshoumaru. Just because he's a child, does not mean he is stupid. He could smell the arousal wafting off of the demon lord. As much as he would rather slice off his third man and run away with his mother, he was no better than Inuyasha on his good day. 'I'm only a two tail fox after all.'

Fist clenched, he stands up sighing. He glowers at Sesshoumaru before sheathing his dagger. Sesshoumaru peers at the boy and his show of consent…no defeat. There is no doubt about it, this fox wants to kill him. He coughs lightly trying not to break into full laughter.

"I'm glad you chose to see reason," Sesshoumaru begins.

"Spare me," Shippou spits out. "I'm only conceding because of my mother's condition."

Sesshoumaru arches a brow. The edge of his lips twitching.

"Fair enough," he retorts coolly. "Just one thing."

"What?"

"Shall I pick her up or would you like to try little kit."

Shippou mouth inches upward into a snarl as Sesshoumaru begins to smile. It is only Kagome's touch that brings him out of his growing red haze. His head snaps towards her to see her weakly shake her head side to side. Huffing, he stares upwards and lets out a long slow sigh. His body trembling as the toxic air of anger leaves his body. Once again in a calm state, Shippou scoffs at Sesshoumaru just as Rin approaches the scene.

"Lord Sesshoumaru," Rin calls.

"Yes Rin, what is it?"

"Is the lady sick?"

"Yes," Sesshoumaru answers dryly. "Very sick."

Two weeks come and go before Inuyasha and the others return to the village. They had chased one rumor after the other with no luck of finding any traces of a shard. Though Inuyasha easily persuaded Sango to leave Kagome behind who in turn influence Miroku, it became apparent during their journey the mistake that was made.

Sitting on the fence of the village, Inuyasha silently curses his mistake. He assume that even without seeing the glow of the shard they should have been able to locate at least the individual who had them. His fists clench tightly at his error. This was becoming more troublesome than he anticipated. And to make matters worse, Miroku berated him during the entirety of the journey back to the village.

'I guess I better go find Kagome and make up with her,' he groans inwardly.

His ears cast downward, he trots towards the well only to find it without any occupants. Looking around, he scents the air and immediately a low growl illicit from his throat.

"Sesshoumaru…"

Fearing the worse, he bounds back to the village and rushes into Kaede's hut.

"Sesshoumaru has kidnapped Kagome!" He exclaims.

His chest heaves in an unsteady rhythm as the one thought parades in his mind. 'How are we going to find the shards?' Kaede looks at Inuyasha briefly before returning to her routine duties.

"I doubt she's been kidnap," Kaede deduces. "If anything, she's more than likely has left with the way she has been treated by her friends."

Sango flinches as Inuyasha stands at the entrance of the hut brows raised and eyes blank. Miroku merely looks at everyone thoughtfully before nodding in agreement.

"A vase, no matter how well fashioned, can only take so much pressure before it cracks under the heat. "

"Are you trying to say we made Kagome leave!?" Inuyasha roars. His body trembling with adrenaline at the possible prospects of losing their shard finder.

"Didn't we," Sango confesses quietly. "We pushed her away knowingly during her toughest hour. And I…"

Sango squeezes her hands as tears wells up in her eyes. Her breathing becomes ragged as she makes slow gasp and inhalation of air.

"I left her alone," Sango cries. "I should have been there for her or at least tried to understand what she was going through."

"Tried to understand?" Inuyasha yells. "She's becoming a damn monster, what is there to understand!?

Sango shakes her head as she sobs. She thought of herself as Kagome friend. Her friend that was like her home away from home and yet she abandoned her. She clenches her chest as the grief within her rises. Miroku takes hold of her and tries to console her, but even he somewhere deep down blames her for her lack of insensitivity. While it is true that he ardently cares for Sango much in a way that he has not felt for any other woman. He cares just as much if not more for Kagome in a way he will never understand.

"Damn it all, I'll find her myself and bring her back!" Inuyasha announces before storming out of the hut.

His brother was at the well. Whether he stole Kagome or not did not matter to him. He knew that's where she was headed.

'I feel so peaceful,' Kagome sighs. 'Like my body is floating in the air.'

Sesshoumaru peers down at the sleeping woman as she scoots closer to him in her sleep. His eyes lowers slightly before looking up to see Shippou eyeing him with suspicion. He feels his face twitch.

'This fox child is becoming annoying,' he thinks placidly. And what he finds more irksome is that he can't get rid of the annoyance. 'At least not at this moment,' he muses. He looks up again to find Shippou's expression change to something along the lines of weary. His inner demon humph in satisfaction. It is befitting the child fear and respect him. He is a demon lord.

Inside Kagome's mind, she hears the wind. She wills herself to materialize releasing a soft pulse of energy as she does so. Sesshoumaru along with the others stares at her momentarily before cautiously turning back to look forward. 'I hope she doesn't burst into flames again,' Shippou thinks. He begins to fiddle his fingers as the cool wind rushes through his hair and along his skin. 'Well at least the wind will put her out.'

Picking up the distress in Shippou's scent, Sesshoumaru eyes Kagome with caution. He feels certain that he can protect everyone if anything haphazardly occurs. He just hopes that he doesn't have to through her off the dragon in a desperate attempt to keep Rin safe. 'The woes of having a human child,' he huffs inwardly.

Kagome analyzes her body before walking around in the dreamscape. Though she wishes this is a dream, she knows it isn't. As the shard comes closer to completion, the more her psyche becomes the jewel itself. It is a continuous battle to keep what is left of "Kagome" intact. She needs a way to control the jewel from the inside. Someone who can either get it out of her before it destroys her completely or help her master it.

'Ungrateful piece of cheap jewelry," Kagome scowls. "You live in my body for over a decade and now you want wipe me out." She broods.

Shaking her head, she continues her journey to the lodge that happens to have built itself over each victory she won against the Shikan jewel. It is there she is once again greeted by the ancient woman. Kagome's calm demeanor immediately drops. She can feel her face tighten at the sight of the ancient spirit.

"What do you want now, cretin," Kagome grinds out. "Here for another battle of wits?"

"You do well to hold your tongue, child!" the spirit spats. "Just because you win sometimes doesn't make you the victor.

Kagome humph at the spirit, her eyes slitting at she stares at her from the side.

"What do you want," she demands.

"There are three shards approaching." The woman states plainly. "Have the demon lord stop and retrieve them or I will hurl you to your death."

Kagome opens her mouth to retort, but the spirit vanishes. Grating her teeth, she begins stomping her feet. Her voice releases various ranges of groans and sighs.

Sesshoumaru once again looks down at Kagome with speculation, before her eyes pop open and she rises up from her posture of cuddling. She whips to Sesshoumaru and blinks.

"I have to go, wait for me?"

Standing on all for she leaps off the dragon whipping around in a circular motion. Her body becomes enflame in a blue cocoon of energy as she drops to the ground like comet set for collision. The earth rumbles as she makes impact. Trees and living habitat flings about as the fall out uproot them from their home.

Her long black hair whirls around her as she rises from her kneeling position just as the beast emerges with a shard embedded in its chest and two hind legs. Rolling her shoulders, she flexes the hand as energy begins to pool around her. A strange sensation takes over Kagome as she arches one foot. The feeling was almost bloodthirsty.

"**Give up your shards and I'll let you live," **Kagome speaks in a multitude of voices.

The beast roars in laughter.

"And who is going to kill me," It drawls.

"**I am."**


	8. Between You and I

A/N - Here is the long awaited chapter! I do apologize for the wait, but I hope you all enjoy this chapter and let me know your thoughts on the progression of the story! Cheers!

Sesshoumaru lands the two headed dragons a mile from where he spotted the battle with the mass demon guard of the East. His irritation is high for two reasons. First, he is now in debt to Kagome for ridding his land of an intruder. Second, he cannot phantom why a third rank guard from the east was on the outer lay of his lands.

He ponders over this as he strides briskly to Kagome after commanding the children to stay with the dragon lest any other guards were still roaming. Waves of energy pulsate through the forest, cackling with electricity. Any lesser demon would perish, not to mention a human. And it so happened he had one of each in his company. If this continue, he thinks, he will have to remove the two children from the location.

'Hopefully I can get to her before it gets critical.'

Striding through another patch of thickets, Sesshoumaru enters the clearing with a welcoming explosion of high winds. He shields himself from the impact as he glances towards where he assume Kagome is standing. He freezes. Her thick black hair had taken on strikes of silver. Her head tilting back accompanies the curvature of her spine as her body takes on the outline of a lush mushroom ripe for the plucking. He ponders briefly when suddenly his inner demon snarls bringing his senses to high alert. Ignoring the wind, he squints and stares at Kagome to see the shadow of an older woman standing over her levitating body. A cold chills rides up his body as the worse possibilities floods his mind.

"Kagome," he shouts.

The shadow looks up at him. Though his vision is compromised, he could feel the sneer on the woman's face. Suddenly, the shadow plunges her hand, pointed like a spade, into Kagome's stomach. Kagome eyes snaps open blood red as a gurgling roar releases itself from her lungs.

Shippou stands alert at the failing sound as Rin inches closer to him.

"Shippou, what do you think has happened?"

Ear twitching, Shippou continues to scent the air.

"Do you think your mother is okay?" Rin continues to ask.

"I…don't know." Shippou replies softly.

His eyes continue to dart across the outer lays of the forest looking for some sort of sign of Kagome's presence.

"If Lord Sesshoumaru is present," Jaken boasts. "Then he will take care of everything that he will."

Though the little green amphibian demon greatly annoys Shippou, he cannot deny that if anyone could protect his mother adequately, it would be Sesshoumaru.

"I hope you're right," Shippou mutters softly.

The wind around Kagome had become like shards of glass. Explosive power pulsates the ground with each new gurgling cry from Kagome's body. Trees are uprooted and landscape destroyed as the pulsations become stronger and stronger. Sesshoumaru somehow manages to get within ten feet of her. Her transformation is beyond his comprehension. Her short canine had elongated considerable as her body's muscular structure seem to fortify itself against the invasive change happening within her.

'Is the jewel responsible for this!?' he wonders.

From the tight pull of his stomach, he knew that to be the case. It is the only thing with enough power to change a human to a demonic being. Piercing wind shoots at Sesshoumaru. He barely dodges the large interlace with the high winds. Hair whipping around him, his eyes begin to bleed red.

'This is becoming ridiculous!'

His inner beast roars in agreement. The shadow woman from what he could see was the cause of the destruction of his land.

"Damn me if I let some dead wench destroy my lands," he grumbles.

Crouch low, he vanishes.

Kagome hides underneath the small hut as hordes of demons fly over her. She sighs inwardly, her body too strung to do anything but take slow shallow breathes. When she had taken hold of the jewels from the huge beast, instead of the high strung woman greeting her, Kagome was ambushed by a horde of demons.

Unsure of how she made it out alive, she somehow was able to force them off of her giving her enough time to run. Now wounded and unarm, the demons were making havoc in her body. She touches the ground and immediately feels the change in her body. She grits her teeth and spits out blood.

"These damn fanatics are trying to take over my body," she growls. "As if the she-witch wasn't troublesome enough."

She peers from underneath the house only to duck back in just before a huge scaled demon trods by the hut. It stops and begins to scent the air. Kagome practically slams her body against one of the pillar as she holds her breath. 'Please keep walking!' she chants in her mind hoping the words will become a reality.

When she hears the heavy steps of the demon moving away from the hut, she exhales. Grabbing hold of her side, she looks around cautiously. The air is calm and silent. Too silent. Brows scrunch downwards, Kagome closes her eyes and listens. She hears nothing except a small whistle. Immediately, her eyes snap open and she lunges forward just as two giants fist crashes downward on the small hut. Tumbling, she rolls and rolls until she hits a small tree. Grunting, she grips her side and glares fiercely at the massive demon. Twin horns protrude from the side of its head with a red jewel in the center of his forehead. His body is cover in what appears to be skeletal armor from the neck to the mid-thigh.

"Woman," it gurgles.

The sound is makes Kagome's stomach turn. The sound of crunching bones mixed with water. She shudders as her face turns sour.

"Give me…this body…"

Kagome's nose slightly flair as she stands as straight as she can muster and stares at the demon head on. Nose tilt upward, she spits on the ground. The demon silently snarls before releasing a deafening roar coinciding with another outwards pulse of energy from Kagome's body. Kagome immediately dashes towards the mountain. Blood oozes down her side as she runs.

"Sesshoumaru!" She screams in her mind.

Sesshoumaru blinks as he hears Kagome in his mind. Lodge between two trees less than five feet from Kagome, he stares at her.

"Sesshoumaru, if you can hear me," the ghastly voice echoes in his head. " Strike me in the chest."

Sesshoumaru looks down at his hand and flexes it. If he simply strikes her, he will kill her. There is no question about it. His demon blood is too strong in his body at the moment. But if he landed a blow to her stomach, perhaps it would not kill her. His red eyes returns to Kagome's raging body and without further thought, he leaps in the air and strikes downward, colliding with the demonic energy flailing from her body. He is withheld for but a moment before his fist comes into contact with Kagome's abdomen creating an energize reaction. White light fills the area, temporary blinding those near and far.

Sesshoumaru eases his arm down and sees Kagome lying limply on the ground. The beast sharply barks within him and instantly the red haze vanishes. Quickly he hovers his hand over her mouth. Seconds pass and as he begins to fear the worse, a small huff of wind brushes against his hand. Slumping to the ground, his chests deflates like a leaking balloon.

Slowly, he runs a hand through his hair as he watches the sleeping woman. 'Or is she more of a demon now?' He scents her and his inner beast hums with delight. He rebukes it and shifts in his sitting to refocus his mind on the events that had just transpire.

'What exactly has happened?' He questions as he watches her from across where she slept. He knew that the power which expelled from her was a result of the shards lodged in her body. He had seen many lesser demons grow considerably in strength after borrowing the gem's power.

'Nothing like that.' He thinks as he listens to his surroundings. 'That was something new altogether.'

Feeling stiff and temperamental, he slowly rises to his feet. Staring down at this new woman, who he knew as a human cause great confliction within him. Part of him wants to kill her. She is a threat and one that no other sane demon lord would keep alive. And yet, at each inclination to kill her, his beast would rage as though protecting her.

"Such an annoyance," he mutters.

The beast gruffs at him with narrow eyes. Rolling his eyes, he kneels down to pick up the woman when she slowly begins to stirs.

"Sesshoumaru."

His name rolls off her lips in a sleep like lure. The soft whisper causes his body to tighten in longing anticipation. Gritting his teeth, he forces his body into a calm state. The last thing he wanted to risk was assaulting the woman in her sleep and turning up dead. 'No pleasure is that good,' he reasons. The beast concedes.

Blowing air slowly from his nose, Sesshoumaru once again bends down and retrieves the woman from the ground. He debates briefly on the fashion of how he should transport her when upon feeling heat, Kagome curls against him. His mouth thins as the blood in his body begins to stir. Clicking his tongue, he turns on his heel and leaps back towards his dragon and the two children.

Shippou paces. He had felt the energy and high winds pushing the trees about as if they were made of some flimsy material. It had almost reached them when it suddenly stop. Shippou's heart had dropped into his stomach at the prospect of what the sudden silence meant. He was on the brink of tears until he saw Rin watching him.

Biting his lip, he had swallowed his tears and took to pacing.

'Where is she!? Why hasn't she returned yet?' Shippou rages internally. 'If that bastard has hurt my mother I –'

He stops mid-sentence when he spots Sesshoumaru in the clearing holding something in his arms. He immediately dashes to him. He doesn't need to see to know who it is. It is his mother, he would know her scent no matter how much she changes. He reaches Sesshoumaru with a flood of tears.

"Is she…" He swallows.

"No," Sesshoumaru responds monotonous.

He spares the kit a glance.

"She's just sleeping."

Seeing relief spread through the kit piques Sesshoumaru's curiosity about Kagome's relationship with the demon child. Looking ahead, he questions him.

"How did Kagome become your mother?"

Shippou's body stops abruptly. This causes Sesshoumaru to stop and turn towards him in one fluid motion.

"Did I ask something odd?"

"N-no," Shippou begins. He continues walking until he passes Sesshoumaru who watches him intensively.

"It just surprised me…that's all."

"I see."

Sesshoumaru slowly walks behind the kit so as not to trip on him.

"Well," he asks slowly.

Shippou shoots him a weary glance before looking back in front of him. He sees Rin waiting anxiously on top of the two headed dragon's back. For some reason, this gives him strength and a sense of ease.

"It just kind of happened I guess." Shippou narrates. His begins to idly rub his arm. "My father was murdered by the Thunder Brothers and she along with Inuyasha helped me...the bastard."

Sesshoumaru's brows raises as his eyes slightly widens at the statement.

"I've been traveling with them ever since."

Sesshoumaru glances down at the kit at the prolong silence. He contemplates whether to pursue more information on the topic, but decides against it. The boy had gone through enough already. The one he wants to questions is none other than the current occupant in his arms. He would get some answers or he would really have to considerate what to do about the woman.

'She's far more dangerous than I would have ever realized.' He admits solemnly.

Positioning her in his lap, he situates Rin and Shippou before taking off to the sky. It is as he departs that a familiar nasal cry reaches his ears.

"My Lord," Rin calls.

"Yes, Rin."

"It seems we have left without Jaken."

He peers down and spots the toad demon frantically waving and hopping about. He smirks before looking back ahead of him.

"He knows his way home Rin," He replies ruefully. "He can meet us there."


	9. Decline

A/N: Hello everyone, here is the long awaited chapter. Bear with me! There is a lot to explain, but I promise you...the pieces are following together!

Thank you for the continued support and reviews. Keep them coming, I read them all. ^_~

"Has she awaken yet?"

The voice lightly echoes and bounds in and around the mountains. Kagome slowly opens her eyes and peers around. 'How did I get here?' Rising to her feet, her breath quickens as she takes in the complete scenery surrounding her.

Rows upon rows of mountain peaks clothed in ice and snow scatters the landscape. Her eyes continue to scan the area as she clutches her kimono tight – a brisk of wind suddenly sweeping past her.

"Shh, you'll wake her if you're too loud."

"Shippou!?" Kagogme shouts as she whips around swiftly.

"Shippou?"

Another flux of wind slices through her. Shivering she notices a rigid path. Wrapping herself even tighter, she walks towards it, ice crunching beneath her feet.

Rin sits nearby watching Kagome. 'Something is wrong with her,' she recalls Shippou telling her before he dashed out of the room. Rin cocks her head to the side as she continues to study her. 'She looks fine to me,' she thinks. She seemed well and yet here she sat waiting slightly curious – slightly afraid of the sleeping beauty.

Periodically, Rin noticed that Kagome would shiver as though chilled. Curiosity overtaking her, she rises and places a hand on her forearm only to snatch it back. Her breathing increases as the pounding drum of her heart begins to flood her ears.

"I've found some bedding!" Shippou announces.

He stumbles against the bedding in his haste, nearly falling on Kagome. Stretching out his leg, he manages to catch himself.

"That was close," he mumbles as he sets the bedding down.

"Her skin is cold as ice," Rin informs him quietly.

Shippou remains silent. He continues to unfold the large quilts and spreads them over Kagome as one would over fine china.

"She's just cold."

He flattens the layers with his hands.

"She's just cold," he repeat.

Rin stares soundless – reminiscing of the moment she lost her family. Sighing, she looks out of the window into the horizon.

Kagome continues to tread down the mountain. Her feet are numbing, though her body is getting warmer. She feels the icy breeze beginning to increase on her chaffed lips and face. Quickly, she dashes between two rocks, creating a crevice when a huge gush of straight line wind rampage past her.

Moments, it was only moments but it feels like an eternity. 'How long have I been walking?' 'Where am I?' "Why am I here?' 'I want to go home.' 'Shippou…' All of these thoughts continue to plague Kagome's mind ash she squeezes out of the crevices, continuing her descent downward. Her heart heavier, her mind darker with each step when suddenly the white landscape becomes green.

She sighs as the cold tendrils slowly wrapping around her body and mind vanishes with the invasion of heat. The sensation reminds her of the feeling one get when something warm travels down the throat into the core of the stomach. Lips twitching upward, she dashes into the lush grass, bypassing oak trees, cedars and maples. She runs until she comes to a lake. A lake so clear it appears as glass.

Kagome tilts her head as she slowly approaches it. Kneeling down, she trikes her hand in the pool of water – half expecting it to shatter.

"So it is water," she observes. "Interesting."

Swirling and circling her hand in the pool, she pull sit out. Her eyes immediately narrows at the dry hand.

"Witch! Come out!"

No response.

"You will come out or the deal is off!" Kagome rages.

And yet, her only reply is silence.

Her brows furrow deeply as she analyzes her surroundings. 'Could this be some sort of dream?' She wonders as she kneads her lip between her teeth. She stops. Blinking, she strikes her face, doubling over as she cradles it with the very hand that assaulted her.

"Well," she groans. "I'm not dreaming."

Wincing, she massages her jaw. Flickers of light teases her peripheral. Turning her body, her gaze returns to the lakes. Her eyes once again monitors her surrounding – listening and feeling the energy around her.

Blinking slowly, she looks at the lake. Her body begins to move slow then faster and faster. She reaches the edge and without thought leaps halfway across the lake. Her body straightens and with rapidity of bullet, she dives feet first.

Shippou had just finish wiping Kagome down much to Sesshoumaru's disappointment. He, with the assistance of Rin and one other maid, succeeded in convincing the demon lord that the task of bathing was beneath him.

The wrinkles between Shippou's forehead increases upon remembering the thick musk that had begun to waft off of Sesshoumaru these past weeks. He recognized the smell almost immediately. He had smelt it a few times from Inuyasha. His nose scrunches in response to the unpleasant look the dog demon had adorned when he looking at his mother. Clenching his fist, he tosses the rag in the bowl and begins to walk out of the room, his shoulder slumps and head bent.

"Shippou?"

His ears twitch. His palms begin to sweat as a strong surge of emotions begin to flood him.

"Ma…ma?" His voice cracks as he turns in a robotic fashion towards the bed, eyes closed tight.

Eyes closed, he eases one eye open and without hesitation leaps towards Kagome. Smiling, she embraces him as he collides into her chest knocking her back unto the futon.

"I'm so glad you're back," he wails.

She squeezes him tighter, her heart tinging at the pain and sadness floating off of him. They stayed undisturbed for several moments when Rin walks in announcing that dinner was ready.

"Oh! You're awake!"

Kagome nods.

"Oh, your eyes are so pretty!" Rin enthuses.

Kagome blinks before picking up a silver dagger which she had always hidden on her person to see her reflection. Truly spoken, her eyes were no longer violent brown but violent with an icy blue trim along the edge of her pupils.

"Interesting," she muses.

"Your voice is different too," Shippou notes – never moving from his place.

"Unpleasant?" Kagome questions.

"You sound like one of those elegant court ladies," Rin interjects.

Kagome mouth curls up at the young girl's energy. She had noticed the difference in her tone of voice as soon as she spoke Shippou's name. And yet it didn't bother her as when she found her body changed.

"Come shippou," Kagome coos.

Her voice melodic and smooth with a low timber.

"Show me the baths, I shall eat later."

"Of course!"

Hopping off the bed, Shippou scurries off leaving Rin and Kagome alone.

"So Rin," Kagome begins.

Eyes wide, brows raised, Rin turns to Kagome.

"How has my son been in my absent?"

Rin blinks several times before looking downward. Kagome watches her intensively, studying her body's language and movement.

"Um," Rin mumbles as she fiddles with her fingers.

Occasionally, she glances up at Kagome, her eyes meeting her for a moment before dropping them down. Kagome leans back into her pillow as the young girl stumbles over her words as she recounts various events. She didn't know why, but the sight of this human girl eased her; reminded her of who she was.

"This way, this way Ma – " Shippous announces as he tumbles in.

Kagome stares momentarily before breaking into laughter. Cheeks flushed red, Shippou gather the things hastily – his mouth spread wide in a grin.

"This way, this way."

Kagome still laughing rises.

A long sigh escapes Kagome. Her body slowly easing into the large hot spring. She sinks her body down until the water touched the bottom of her chin. She soaks for a few minutes when the sliding and clacking of the door draws her attention.

"So you are awake?"

Kagome's body trembles as the deep baritone voice vibrates through her body.

"I have been waiting so long."

Hearing the amusement in his voice underline with heat causes Kagome to turn her head towards the sound of his voice. It is then that she spies the demon lord near the edge of the bath in all of his natural glory.


	10. Decline, continues

"Did you need something my lord?" Kagome inquires as she slowly moves away from the edge of the pool.

"You've developed manners I see," Sesshoumaru chides; his timber voice low, barely audible.

He allows his eyes to devour her as he peers through the tinted water. He doesn't need to see her to know the shape of her physique. The slow burning sensation in his hand, pooling to his stomach bares testament to that fact.

"I have always had manners, my lord," Kagome corrects wispily. "You are just not accustom to them.

Sesshoumaru tongue clicks. 'Is she implying that her manners are superior to my own?' His eyes slant as she reaches the center of the indoor pool. Seeing her, his nostril begins to flare as realization dawns his senses. 'She's conscious of me.' His inner beast licks the area of its lips in a slow circular motion.

"Let us eat."

Kagome's ears twitch at the remark, uncertain if she heard correctly.

"Did you say something my lord?"

"Nothing, nothing at all."

Heat floods her body at the closeness of his voice; light puffs of air caressing her ear. She swings. Her body turns in a perfect union with her arm rigid like a straight blade sword as her foot step forward. Eyes glint, she aims for his throat. Water splashes and swirls at the sudden clash of movement.

Sesshoumaru slips backward, slightly bending his body out of reach of her painted nails. Watching her closely, he grabs the writs of her right hand flat palmed stopping it inches from his chest. Eyes brilliant, he forcefully yanks the bare woman to his chest.

Time stills as their eyes lock. As much as Kagome wanted to look away – tell herself it was the change from the shards causing her to feel small creeping chills, fluttery swirls in her stomach and the shortness of breath. And yet the growing fire below her waist would not allow her to lie to herself.

"I want you," she gasps out. Her lungs tight and winded.

Sesshoumaru blinks at her. The very words were on his lips. His inner beast purrs in anticipation as she slides his hand down the small of her back, cupping her petite bottom.

"Open them," he growls.

Hesitant, she looks away ash she slowly spaces her legs apart. A small smile forms on his lips as he leans down and muzzles her hair not too far from her ear.

"You won't be the same after this."

Kagome turns her head towards him at his words just as he slowly plunges his fingers into the core of the body. Her voice hitches in her throat, her body coils and loosens as he aims and rubs her from within. Variant pitches of gasps and pants escape Kagome. Her body begins to twitch and jerk as she arches towards the man assaulting her body.

Neck exposed, Sesshoumaru takes liberty in tasting her. Salt mixed with water, he sucks and nips the line of her neck down to her collar bone.

"Oh please," she begs as her voice hitches.

He gives her no reply nor slows down his conquest. Feeling her inner muscles throb, he uses his thumb to lightly tease the heart of her passion. Like a shaken bottle filled with compressed liquid, she falls into the throws of pleasure. Her body shakes and trembles as the last of the powerful tremors ebb from her.

Sesshoumaru watches with male satisfaction as the frail powerful woman collapse against his chest; short breaths flowing from between her lips.

Eyes shining, he guides her gently to the edge of the large bath. Confusion begins to settle at the feel of being push towards the pool's edge. Light and heady, Kagome slowly looks around, her eyes not focused on anything in particular.

"Are we leaving?" She asks, her words slow.

A deep chuckle echoes in the large room. Kagome peers up at the magnificent lord's body as he laughs at her. Feeling her face grow warmer, she looks away, mouth thin and flat.

"Kagome."

Slowly, she peeks up. Her breath catches at the warmth revealed in his smile. Her eyes dart to the left as he muzzles her face, her hair before nipping her ear.

"This is only the beginning."

Shippou prowls and paces. His face contorted as his emotions spiral and consume his thoughts.

'What's taking her so long?' Shippou wonders. He peeks down the corridor leading to the baths.

"What are you doing?"

Body rigid, his fur stands up at the sudden question. Glancing over his shoulder, he releases his breath.

"I was," he begins; his voice breathy. "I was debating if I should check on my mom."

Rin watches as Shippou smooths his fur down. His rapid glances at her makes her giggle.

"Why don't we check on her?" Rin suggests.

Without second thoughts, she grabs Shippou's hand and proceeds to drag him towards the bathhouse. As easy as he could have stopped her, he allows her to drag him down the hall. Half because he knew that he did not contain the mental prowess to feign innocent if he was caught and half out of fear of what he would find.

"We're here!" Rin chimes.

Blinking out his thoughts, Shippou inhales deeply and exhales. As the flux of air exits his lungs, so does his impeding fear. Looking back at Rin, he reaches to grab the door and stops mid motion.

Rin eyes burrow down at his sudden halt.

"What's wrong?" She asks leaning forward.

Her eyes slightly widen at the stark white complexion of his face. She reaches for his stilled hand. Sweat slides against her fingers.

"Shippou, what's wrong?" She demands.

She moves to step in front of him when he abruptly turns away from the door and storms down the hall. Confuse by the reaction of his behavior, Rin looks to the door. She stares intently at the solid cedar door waiting. Looking around, she eases towards the door, placing both hands flat against it – shortly joined by her left ear.

Nothing.

The small tinge of irritation slowly travels up her spine as the burrow of her brows deeper. 'Just what made him upset,' she fumes inwardly. Determine to know, she reaches for the door.

"Rin!"

She pauses, her outstretch hand slowly retreats back to her side. Turning her body to a three fourth turn, she pots Shippou at the crux of the next corridor. His hands balled into tight fists.

"Yes?" She answers.

"We have to help make dinner."

Rin slowly glances back at the closed cedar door. Her desire to sedate her curiosity grows stronger with each passing moment. ' I could take a quick look,' she reasons. Her hand ascending, inching closer to the door. ' A very quick look.'

"Rin!"

The call is now more of a demand. Sighing, Rin turns on her heels and trots towards Shippou.

"I was coming, you know," she reassures him.

He nods, his hand extended towards her. Blush decorates her cheeks as she grasps his hand, both walking to the kitchen in silence.

Sounds fills the air. Raw sounds without cohesion or collaboration. It is these sounds that dominates Kagome's hearing. The sound of sweat hitting the stone pavement as skin contacts again skin. 'How long has it been?' Kagome wills herself to think. 'Was the sun still out?' She opens her eyes that voluntarily closed when pain struck her shoulder. Sesshoumaru called it a love bit, but her instinct told her otherwise.

He had taken her any times; only allowing her minutes of rest before exploring her in a new way from a new angle.

"Please," Kagome begs.

His response is a low growl against her back. His arm around her lower waist tightens in protest.

"I'll break," She whimpers.

Kagome clasps her eyes tight as the feeling of discomfort begins to bloom through her body. Dragging his hand up and down her bottom, he finally releases her after two strong thrusts.

Her body slouches to the floor. Her face relaxes as she breathes deeply. 'Everything aches,' she complains. The fogginess of her brain growing thicker as fatigue overtake her senses. 'He could have been gentler.'

Sesshoumaru peers down at the sleeping woman. His inner beats yawns. Looking towards the door, he debates leaving her. She was only here to please him after all. A sharp mental bark causes him to roll his eyes as he stands before the beast.

"The deal was to take her and be done with her," he grates. "We've done her -…"

The beast roars in Sesshoumaru's face, interrupting his rant. Teeth bared, it's crimson eyes narrow into slits. Feeling the muscles in his jaw and brow twitch, Sesshoumaru takes a slow breath. His beast has never been this irate since the death of his mother. Eyes hard and cold, he pins the beast down with a stare.

"Fine, but if we keep her, it will be on my terms, you degenerate sex fiend."

The beast chuffs, his eyes squint and brows raised. Rubbing, his temple, Sesshoumaru opens his eyes and gazes down at Kagome.

"What a pain," He mutters.

He leans down and carefully picks the sleeping beauty from the ground. Exiting the bath house, a slow grin stretches across his mouth.

Inuyasha had traveled for three weeks before managing to reach his brother's border. Fighting low level demons, evading raging beasts and helping the occasional random soul had proven to be more tasking then he first thought.

The only good thing that came out of his side travels were the occasional rumor of a long hair beauty in a rainbow-like kimono accompanying the western lord. It had even been relayed to him that the two had a few small skirmishes over some jewels with the antagonizing individual name Naraku.

"Damn it," Inuyasha gruffs. "At this rate, I may never catch up to them."

Exhausted, he flops down on a high perch, overlooking the parameter of the forest. He scans the large horizon accompanying his brother's fortress. 'A luxurious backdrop,' he thinks scoffing. His left eye involuntarily twitches as memories of his youth flood his mind. Clicking his tongue, he huffs noisily when a faint echo of a female voice reaches his ear.

"Hm?"

Inuyasha's ears shoot up as he leans forward in the direction of the sound. Moments pass. Silence. Relaxing slowly, his body tenses at as a more definite sound of laughter reaches his ear. 'Could it be?' He wonders. His eyes looks towards the grand fortress before refocusing back on the lush forest beneath him. 'I am only about fifteen kilometer from that bastard's home.' His face scrunches up at the thought of his brother.

The laughter grows louder accompany by what sounds like an older woman's voice. Nodding, he leaps down – one branch at a time until he reaches a perch not too far from a watering hole. One hand around the trunk of the tree, he searches.

A small girl with a side pony tail runs by. 'Who is that?' He crunches low, his eyes focusing on the clearing near the lake.

"Wait Rin!"

A slow grin spreads across Inuyasha's face upon seeing the familiar auburn fur ball.

"Heh, found ya!"

He leaps without pause towards the lake. He aims for the fox when a flicker of silver catches his peripheral. Using his momentum, he turns his body, centimeters from escaping the slightly curve blade. Using his claws to brace his fall, he flips pulling out Tesaiga as he lands.

"I-Inuyasha?"

"Yeah, what of it!?" He shouts.

He watches the beautiful woman tilt her head to the side; her eyes slowly photographing his body. Clearing his throat, he shifts to the side.

"Don't you know me?" She asks. Her voice smooth as silk.

Inuyasha cocks one brow up as he looks the woman over more closely.

"Nah, never seen ya before."

"I see…"

The woman's eyes drop to her feet, her shoulders slightly slumps. 'Have I met her before?' Inuyasha begins to wonder. As far as he knew, he hadn't encounter a woman of her stature. Lost in thought, Inuyasha plops on the ground, raking his memory of possible people who may match the description of the woman in front of him.

"Mama," Shippous calls as he runs into her awaiting arms.

"Mama?" Inuyasha repeats.

His eyes widen.

"Kagome!?"

Kagome looks up from Shippou, her face stoic – her eyes wide and inquisitive.

"Yes?"

"There's no way…" he says breathily.


End file.
